A SURGEON suspended by the General Medical Council allegedly carried out “unnecessary or inappropriate” breast cancer operations on more than 1,000 women.

Ian Stuart Paterson is accused of misdiagnosing healthy women with cancer and using an unconventional practice, which increases the risk of the disease returning, on others.

Law firm Thompsons claims almost 700 women were subjected to the unregulated “cleavage-sparing” procedure, which involved leaving some breast tissue behind after a mastectomy.

It says another 450 women may have had invasive breast surgery when a biopsy may have been sufficient.

The firm is now representing almost 100 women who have launched claims for compensation.

Paula Gelsthorpe, from Nottingham, had two lumpectomies when her condition was benign.

She said: “When I was told my operations had been totally unnecessary, I couldn’t believe it. I paid private health to have two lumpectomies and they were both unnecessary. I felt relieved at first, but now I feel angry and betrayed.”

Every day of my life I have to look at myself knowing that I didn’t need the operation at all

Gail Boichat, from Staffordshire, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995 and had a “cleavage-sparing” mastectomy carried out by Dr Paterson.

However, earlier this year she was recalled by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and told the operation had been unnecessary as her condition was benign.

She said: “Every day of my life I have to look at myself knowing that I didn’t need the operation at all and I should never have looked like this.”

Dr Paterson worked at a number of NHS and private hospitals from 1994 including Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Good Hope, Solihull, Heartlands Hospitals, Spires Parkway (Solihull) and Spire Little Aston. He was suspended by the GMC last month.

Kashmir Uppal, senior medical negligence solicitor at Thompsons, said: “It is staggering this went on for such a long time, causing so much needless worry and risk.

“The so-called ‘cleavage-sparing’ procedure increases the risk of cancer returning and the lumpectomies carried out without biopsies mean that some of these women had surgery they didn’t need.”

A spokesman from the GMC said last night: “Dr Ian Paterson’s registration is currently suspended. This means the doctor cannot work as we investigate concerns about his fitness to practise.”

In a statement reported today, Dr Paterson, who is being represented by the Medical Defence Union, said: “I am co-operating fully with the GMC investigation and cannot comment on any of the issues raised because of my duty of patient confidentiality and the ongoing investigation.”